Starring:
Date: April 18, 2012
Summary:
Yet another Shirayuki challenges Maikeru, knowing he is here to help end Hikan's reign. This one may just be reasonable, though.
"A Futile Effort"
Unknown location
As twilight comes with the dusk of the day, a small boat comes in toward the Black Sands Beach with the rising tide. One might question why a ship would come to the island in such a manner, as there is plenty of room at the docks. Of course, its passenger is also adorned in a black cloak, the hood of which is covering his head to conceal his identity. A cool wind blows in from the sea, making the setting perfect for sitting on the beach to observe the sunset. However, with the threats of rebellion and civil war, not many seem to be willing to risk doing such at the moment.
As his boat touches the shore, the cloaked figure reaches to grab his backpack and stands up to step out of the boat. Peering around at the beach, Maikeru lets out sigh and begins to make his way over to the entrance of the Obsidian Tunnel. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return," he says in a low voice, quoting the poem from the time he was yet a Jounin of this village and recovering from amnesia. "To become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies… I offer thee this silent sacrifice."
Aoitsuki would be one of the only people left on the black sands, aside from this unusual boat which seemed to dock on the very shores. She was a beautiful young woman with long locks of vibrant golden hair lengths down along her back. She is adorned in a traditional sky blue kimono with a dark blue sash, her feet are more or less bare sunken down into the black sands. She was suppose to be patroling the shore for the night, though at the same time she wouldn't pass up a nice opprotunity to train herself. Things had been rather off lately, especially with her recent run in with Hikan-sama and forcing down a recent rebellion, there was a strong distaste for the current running of things but the Shirayuki couldn't do much, she didnt have much political sway nevermind the strength to challenge a great power. She trains her eyes on the boat which approaches though and soon enough she moves forward, arms closed together hidden within her Kimono. " Its odd for someone to dock on these beach floors, why aren't you at the docks?" Aoi questioned the man, her eyes a brillant azure blue, she watches him, intently for a reasonable answer… Her expression is rather blank.
As a voice rings out behind him, Maikeru stops and looks over his shoulder at the young woman speaking. "I somehow doubt Kirigakure's ports would be open to my entrance," he replies in an almost monotone voice, quite different from his usually smooth speech. A blood red aura appears around him for a moment before dissipating as he turns to face her. "This is a dangerous place for a young woman like yourself to be hanging around by herself at night. The Mizukage's enemies could be lurking so far from the main path." His tone appears to be one of amusement as he looks her over, not giving his identity away as of yet, unless she happens to recognize his aura and put it together, which is possible from his tournament performance.
Aoitsuki didn't notice his aura, but the brief flash of it couldn't have been a friendly thing, she narrows her eyes upon him instead, she could sense the aura as it came, it was a powerful aura even if it was just to be a glimpse of his power. "Judging by your aura, do you consider yourself an enemy of Mizukage-sama?" She asks curiously, despite his powerful aura she stepped forward in defiance, Aoi wasn't one to back down from something, even if she was feeling pressured. " You speak as if you are banned from the ports…"
"I had hoped not to have to be, but the fool has left me little choice. He has shown that he is only capable of growing more corrupt," Maikeru replies plainly as the girl approaches him. She may see a light smirk tug at his lips under the hood as she speaks, the man apparently finding this quite amusing. "Just from the ports? No," he says as he brings his hands up to pull back his hood. "Perhaps you might recognize the name Daeshiro or Onryou Maikeru?" His dark blue eyes look down at her with a somewhat intense but quite amused look, though still quite dark. There are red outlines around his eyes as well as circles under them, as if he hasn't really slept much in a while.
"You are a criminal," Aoitsuki states, taking a slight step back, the hands which were hidden in the sleeves of her kimono was pressed together, though he would notice that her own aura, which was just of the traditional type began to radiate and emit outwards, focusing chakra into her body, it was obvious that he was dealing with a shinobi, and not the average wandering girl. " You have a lot to explain for betraying the village prior to this rebellion, Maikeru-san," Aoitsuki states, at this point it was obvious she ment business, though she knew about Maikeru, there was a reason why he was the highest priority missin-nin from Kirigakure. "You will answer to me or find yourself surrounded by our Hunter Nin corps…"
"That I am," Maikeru says calmly with a nod. As the girl starts to prepare to fight, the Rogue Jounin chuckles a bit and shakes his head. "You want me to answer for helping destroy that monstrosity Hikan used to slaughter thousands with so pointlessly and leaving? That was me giving the bastard a chance to mend his ways. I even sent barely living Hunters and Swordsmen back with the message, yet he's only gotten worse. He is not fit to rule or command." The blood red aura appears once again, this time remaining as the ground seems to shake with power. "Attack me if you must," he says with a shrug, simply waiting for her to strike.
"That monstrosity of a weapon was a beacon of hope for Kirigakure's conquest… It has been too long that these other villages look down upon us, the foul treatment we recieve from the world has the weight beared on our villagers, not our shinobi," Aoi states coldly, she presses a foot down into the ground, tensing herself slightly more chakra began to flow, but this time it was revolving around her insides. Chakra began to fuse with the very blood in her veins, her affinity began to increase, causing her skin to become chilling cold in pale, a soft zephyr brushes against her form, causing a layer of frosty mist to escape from her form while her rich golden locks become almost translucent, turning into a deep snow white.
" I will try not to disappoint you," she states, suddenly her hand disappears into ehr robe and unsheaths a kunai, tossing it in his direction with the hopes of catching him off guard, a second pair of hand seals summoned a pair of water senbon from the very sea behind him, they began to harden, turning into needles of ice, attempting to catch him off guard and stab into his back…
"They only look down on us because Hikan has led so many failed wars," Maikeru replies, that smirk yet in place. "Thousands of people died on Hikan's whim. We looked like nothing but cowards, not warriors." All the senbon the girl tosses simply bounce off his aura effortlessly as he keeps his attention on her. "While you may not be a disappointment, I am on an entirely different level. Ask the Jinchuuriki I put down who was using the full power of her Bijuu." With that, he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a kunai with a tag attached to it. He tosses it at her, creating an explosion just as it reaches her. "This is quite pointless, I assure you."
The explosive tag hit square on, but instead of it exploding against her flesh she merely pops into a puff of smoke, a finely placed clone taking the damage as she attempts to strike at him. From behind there is a sound of yet another pop, a clone of Aoitsuki manifesting from the water sinking below before it attempts to strike him from the rear. " So you are telling me the great Maikeru-Sama managed to turn down a Jinnchuriki? Why did you run away? If you think Hikan is wrong why do you say nothing to stop it?" Aoitsuki continued to demand answers, the girl wasn't going to let up her assault however despite how pointless it seemed to be. After the Clone attempts to stab a hand of ice into his body, various amounts of darts sprout out to attack him from the same source, causing the clone to turn into a sculpture of ice in the process.
Despite hearing the sound, Maikeru doesn't bother turning to face her until both strikes bounce of him. "I gave my feelings about his actions publicly, and I was giving him a chance to change before I came back," he says a he turns to face her, darts bouncing off him. "His time is up, and there's no one here that can stop me. It's time Kirigakure became an honorable village again." With that, he stretches his right hand forward, sending an enormous form of it forward to strike at her entire body.
Fighting at this point seemed to be more or less useless, all of her attacks were ineffective against that skin of his, she couldn't tell what was going on, either it be natural conditioning or something else…e What mattered that her attacks just bounced off of him, making it difficult for her to get her own point across, and soon enough she is sent back into the black sands, smashing right into her stomach causing her to blast back creating a slight Sand dune behind her. " Ugh…" Aoitsuki slightly groaned, attempting to pick herself up from sands as she looks up at Maikeru. " What makes you think you can change things… What kind of plan do you have?" Aoitsuki ask, her voice sounded slightly pained, she didnt attack though…she wanted answers.
As the girl seems to realize fighting him is quite pointless, Maikeru smirks slightly and listens to her questions. "It's quite simple. We get rid of him and put a man who will command justly in his place, one who will not slaughter thousands on a whim or purposely send his own warriors to die. The path to a brighter future is not paved with this village's blood or that of harmless soldiers of another country." He steps over to her, looking down at her with a stern look and offering his hand. "Join the rebellion, and see a better futute for yourself and your family and friends, not one bathed in their blood."
"Aoitsuki didn't doubt Maikeru's power, he was able to take her down almost instantly without breaking a sweat, he literally fought her single handedly, if he technically used his hands at all, perhaps he did have what it took to change things, but she was still curious. " Do you have someone in mind?" Aoi asks, she arches a snow white eyebrow, which slowly began return back to its original temperature, her hair becoming gold once more and heat returning to her flesh. " Simply killing off Hikan will just tun this place into a chaotic anarchy…"
"There is someone, but I can't reveal all I know. You never know who is watching from afar," Maikeru says before turning toward the Obsidian Tunnel where he was originally going. "When I was still here, I'd originally planned to take over as Mizukage myself, but that time has passed. I have much bigger duties ahead, things bigger than the Great Five Shinobi Villages themselves. Cleansing Kirigakure is but a step along the path." He begins walking toward the tunnel, lifting a hand to wave. "Choose wisely, and I wouldn't suggest reporting my presence. I don't want to spill more blood than necessary."
